Ampedus quercicola

When beetles land flat on their back, it is very difficult for most of them to get back on their feet. May Bugs often die that way. Some beetles however do have a special hinch between belly and breast. It sends them quite high into the air, allowing them to turn around before getting back on earth. As they do this with a clicking sound, they are called Click Beetles. The larvae of the so-called Click Beetles are called wireworms. They can be harmful to grassroots and newly planted seedlings in places that used to be grassy. As they often appear in great numbers gardeners hate them alltogether. Even though most wireworms are vegetarians, the wireworm of the adult to the right do hunt for other insects as well. It is not certain the wireworm and the adult shown below belong to the same species. It is a common species all over Europe, even though it is not a typical garden species, for it lives in pine woods mainly. It is a rather small click beetle, measuring some 6 to 8 mm only.